Happy holidays and welcome to our November, 2017 Tried & True skate-gear feature! We’re making a list, and checking it twice, of our favorite skate goods this Winter! All of ‘em top-quality, performance oriented, and of course stylish. So sit back, relax, and check out a few of our favorites:

The just-released Loaded “Tarab”Freestyle Longboard makes us want to groove. The Tarab features the classic flex and ride Loaded is known for, but implements unique bamboo construction keeping it lightweight, with a cork top layer that dampens vibrations, as well as Urethane-reinforced kicktails and rails that keep the Tarab in tip top shape through its rambunctious life. The Tarab comes in two flex variations that alter its ride, and we went with the flex 2 for some light-bodied and livelier get-up-and-go. The Tarab is a widely variable board in the manners it can be ridden, and we have found it at home on boardwalk taco-tuesday sessions, long burning-calves commutes, and twisty turny crossstepping freakiness. The Tarab doesn’t just look sexy, it IS sexy. And she’s ready to ride wherever you’ll lead her.

Loaded has been among the top of the game for longboard freestyle and carving boards since we’ve been around, and we have no doubts why. Their goods are legit!

The new S1 “Retro Lifer” Helmet comes with all the high-impact certification & great fit as the regular Lifer Hemet, but this puppy also has added moto vibes via it’s full-cut protection for your ears. Although this lid comes in a range of badass colors, we swooped the flat black and have been dropping-in with it atop of our brains for more than a few sweaty sessions. Our prognosis for the new Retro Lifer is that it feels hella comfy, the full-cut styling looks badass, and the added protection overall provides a bit more confidence to boost. If you haven’t heard already, S1’s Lifer Helmet is one of the safest and best fitting certified high impact and multiple impact helmets on the market. This safety-skate-hat has what you need with 30% more BRAAP! and 55% more SEXY. We’ve always loved S1 Helmets and we still do. Recommended.

Skaters have been rocking Adidas since before skate shoes even existed. Way back then, skaters would ride whatev’s shoes served the purpose. If they gripped, provided solid board feel, the proper protection, and were stylin’ then skaters wore them shits. Adidas has provided all of the above for decades—doubly so these days, with their high quality and heritage-driven line of shoes specifically designed for the riggors and demands of modern skateboarding. The Matchcourt High RX combines vintage tennis court styling with skate-specific features designed for today’s skateboarding shenanigans. These neoclassic hightop skate shoes are made with a canvas and suede upper featuring a durable suede toecap. They have a flexible vulcanized outsole with super tacky rubber tread to help you feel your board and grip with confidence. The Matchcourt High RX comes in a range of colors, but we’ve been skating in the Collegiate Navy / Running White / Black colorway shown here.

After skating the streets, some hills, and a few skateparks in these shoes we can honestly say we love ‘em. This shoe is super comfortable right out of the box and the board-feel is bolts. The yummy-gummy sole of this shoe grips like a dream and the suede toecap feels much better on the flick than the old rubber toe-capped Matchcourts of yesteryear. Moreover, these badass hightop skate shoes are not at all afraid of donning folded chino pant cuffs for added “my dude” style points. If you’re looking for a shoe that looks real good and skates real-real good, then the Matchcourt High RX is a solid option. Dig it!

The games in the name; footstops stop your feet… Kreep Footstops however do just that but while adding style, providing durability, and directly altering a rider’s stance for better positioning in tucks. We received our first batch of Kreep footstops back in 2013, and with one homie behind the brand it is truly skater engineered and operated. Kreep footstops come in a few varieties – both convex and concaved surfaces, a mini kreep and big kreep, and our favorite – the classic batman look. These foot stops are truly indestructible, and add a subtle touch to any downhill setup.

Herman from Kreep has been in the downhill industry for quite a while and knows his way around metal working – the CNC’d goodness of each footstep puts it to practice. Kreep has also pushed some badass collaboration footsteps with our homies at WheelTurner Hawaii and we are always hyped to see what they come up with. Props boys!